Quality as important as price for grocery shoppers

GILLIAN Hickey and Graeme Hill do worry about how and where they do their grocery shopping – but they’re not your typical costbusters.

PROUD AUSSIES: Gillian Hickey and Graeme Hill were good at doing cheap shopping for a little while but have chosen to buy Australian products they like. Picture: Campbell Gellie

GILLIAN Hickey and Graeme Hill do worry about how and where they do their grocery shopping - but they're not your typical costbusters.

These days they're not worried about how much they spend.

The most important decisions they make as they walk the aisles are about quality, where the product was made and if it is a label they can trust.

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The couple lives in Telina and shops all around Gladstone, making sure they're supporting the products they like.

"We won't go for generic products because we buy Australian-made products and labels we like," Ms Hickey said.

"We know we're definitely not saving money."

It has been a conscious decision that they spend their money where it is important to them.

"Every time we come back one of the brands we like is gone and that means one small business," she said.

"We've never run a small business but it is still important for us."

The meat in both of those butcheries is the best around and I think it's worth the extra money

The couple buy their meat at Kin Kora Meats or Tannum Sands Butchery.

"The meat is more expensive but we know our money is going to a small business," Mr Hill said.

"The meat in both of those butcheries is the best around and I think it's worth the extra money."

They also shop around for special ingredients.

"We will go to The Health Nut and get the stuff we can only get there," Ms Hickey said.

"We head to IGA for groceries and then (Woolworths) for vegetables.

"At the moment we are trying not to eat any carbs. We love our potatoes and pasta but today we have greens, mushrooms and some tomatoes."

They are looking forward to Aldi coming to Gladstone but said it wouldn't change how they did their weekly shop.

"We like to think of Aldi as a grocery store with a garage sale in the middle," Mr Hill said.

"We will keep buying our products and local stuff but we will go to Aldi for the garage sale."

Originally published as Quality as important as price for grocery shoppers